Hagan takes second swipe at ‘redundant' pesticide regs

Published: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 5:16 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 at 5:16 p.m.

U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan is making a second attempt to eliminate what she calls a "redundant and burdensome" pesticide regulation that hurts farmers and municipalities.

In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Hagan announced she and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) are co-sponsoring a bill — called the Sensible Environmental Protection Act of 2013 — to eliminate a requirement that 365,000 pesticide users get a Clean Water Act permit before spraying in or near lakes and streams.

Farmers and other chemical users already have to meet stringent requirements for pesticide application under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, Hagan said, and the Clean Water Act permit only adds a duplicative, unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.

"They're having to fill out paperwork and expend money instead of focusing on their farming operations," she said, adding the "overlapping regulations" have also forced some municipalities to cut down on spraying for mosquitoes "because they don't have the manpower (to deal with the extra red tape), and they fear lawsuits."

Crapo and Hagan introduced a similar measure in September 2012, but the bill died in the Senate Environment and Public Works committee. Many of the former bill's bipartisan co-sponsors have signed on again, Hagan said, including Sen. Claire McCaskill (D- Missouri) and Sen. David Vitter (R-Louisiana).

"Let me make this clear: this is not about whether pesticides should be regulated," Hagan told reporters. "They definitely should be."

Under FIFRA, said N.C. Farm Bureau President Larry Wooton, farmers already have to follow label directions for applying chemicals near water.

"Most of our farmers have taken courses and have licenses to use these restricted-use pesticides," Wooten said. "We have felt for some time that any additional regulatory requirements, such as trying to seek this Clean Water Act permit, would be redundant."

Following an appellate court ruling, the U.S. EPA under the Clean Water Act began requiring a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit in 2011 for mosquito control, aquatic weeds or pesticide spraying that will "unavoidably" run off into water adjacent to farms.

As she tours the state, Hagan said she often hears from businesses and farmers complaining about overregulation. Removing the NPDES permit requirement "is just common sense," she said.

<p>U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan is making a second attempt to eliminate what she calls a "redundant and burdensome" pesticide regulation that hurts farmers and municipalities. </p><p>In a conference call with reporters Tuesday, Hagan announced she and Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) are co-sponsoring a bill — called the Sensible Environmental Protection Act of 2013 — to eliminate a requirement that 365,000 pesticide users get a Clean Water Act permit before spraying in or near lakes and streams.</p><p>Farmers and other chemical users already have to meet stringent requirements for pesticide application under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, Hagan said, and the Clean Water Act permit only adds a duplicative, unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.</p><p>"They're having to fill out paperwork and expend money instead of focusing on their farming operations," she said, adding the "overlapping regulations" have also forced some municipalities to cut down on spraying for mosquitoes "because they don't have the manpower (to deal with the extra red tape), and they fear lawsuits."</p><p>Crapo and Hagan introduced a similar measure in September 2012, but the bill died in the Senate Environment and Public Works committee. Many of the former bill's bipartisan co-sponsors have signed on again, Hagan said, including Sen. Claire McCaskill (D- Missouri) and Sen. David Vitter (R-Louisiana).</p><p>"Let me make this clear: this is not about whether pesticides should be regulated," Hagan told reporters. "They definitely should be."</p><p>Under FIFRA, said N.C. Farm Bureau President Larry Wooton, farmers already have to follow label directions for applying chemicals near water. </p><p>"Most of our farmers have taken courses and have licenses to use these restricted-use pesticides," Wooten said. "We have felt for some time that any additional regulatory requirements, such as trying to seek this Clean Water Act permit, would be redundant."</p><p>Following an appellate court ruling, the U.S. EPA under the Clean Water Act began requiring a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit in 2011 for mosquito control, aquatic weeds or pesticide spraying that will "unavoidably" run off into water adjacent to farms.</p><p>As she tours the state, Hagan said she often hears from businesses and farmers complaining about overregulation. Removing the NPDES permit requirement "is just common sense," she said.</p><p>Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than,axtell@blueridgenow.com.</p>